Construction & Civil Engineering Issue 128 June 2016

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ISSUE 128 JUNE

The benefits of

brownfield Developers should consider the redevelopment opportunities of potentially contaminated sites See page 14

Student habitat

Historic building gets modern makeover in Bristol

Super secure

Perimeter protection for London’s super sewer

ÂŁ95m contract

Ulster Hospital contract awarded to joint venture

Chairman Andrew Schofield

14 Cover story

contents

Editor Libbie Hammond

libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Art Editor Gerard Roadley-Battin

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Production Manager Fleur Daniels Advertising Design Barnaby Schofield

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Staff Writers Jo Cooper Andrew Dann Ben Clark Operations Director Philip Monument Research Manager Laura Thompson

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Editorial Researchers Nick Bochmann Mark Cowles Tarjinder Kaur D’Silva Keith Hope Sales Director Joe Woolsgrove

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Sales David King Mark Cawston Rob Wagner Production/ Office Manager Tracy Chynoweth

FEATURES

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Cemex UK Aggregates’ JUSTCi programme has benefited not just the bottom line but also company culture

8 IT How can construction address the problem of stolen plant machinery?

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company profiles

© 2016 Schofield Publishing Ltd

Ben Clark talks to Ian Burton of Taylor & Braithwaite, about his career and the expansion of the company

5 Continuous Improvement

Schofield Publishing Cringleford Business Centre, 10 Intwood Road, Cringleford, Norwich, NR4 6AU, U.K. Tel: +44 (0)1603 274130 Fax: +44 (0)1603 274131

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17 20 27 30 34 39 42 48

Pave Aways Baufritz Electrical Industries Group Vandersanden Group Arab Engineering Bureau FP McCann Qatar Rail Colemore Tang Construction

10, 11 News Updates and information from the construction and civil engineering market

12 Road Building Automation technologies and how they will change the face of Britain’s roads

14 Brownfield development Support from expert partners can assist developers in the use of contaminated land

Please note: The opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers within this publication do not necessarily coincide with those of the editor and publisher. Every reasonable effort is made to ensure that the information published is accurate, but no legal responsibility for loss occasioned by the use of such information can be accepted by the publisher. All rights reserved. The contents of the magazine are strictly copyright, the property of Schofield Publishing, and may not be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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INTERVIEW

person A people

Below Ian Burton

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As Ian Burton celebrates his tenth anniversary at Taylor & Braithwaite, Ben Clark finds out what has driven his success and what has defined his career with the company

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or Ian Burton, being in front of the customer and forging longstanding relationships is at the heart of the way he does business. Ten years as a successful salesman in the agriculture sector for Lloyd Ltd of Carlisle, in which time he became New Holland’s UK salesman of

Above Ian Burton - Salesman of the year

the year in 2004, has led to his passion for delivering a top-quality service. Ian’s time at Lloyds peaked when he became Sales Manager, but being stuck in an office after a decade on the road was not his calling. “The buzz of being a salesman comes from getting in front of the customer and making sales,” he reflects. “Being Sales

Manager had me sitting at a desk supporting guys out on the road and I felt I had achieved all I could as a salesman, so decided it was time to move on.”

It was at this point, in 2005, that Taylor & Braithwaite (T&B), a local agricultural dealership, approached Ian with the chance to buy into the business and

take on a directorship. “Trevor Braithwaite was retiring and they came to me with the opportunity to help lead the business alongside Paul Taylor and his father, Harold Taylor,” he continues. “It was a great chance to take on a new challenge.”

Despite growing up in an agricultural setting and spending much of his working life in the same industry, Ian’s real interest lay in construction. Upon leaving school at 16, he took a YTS apprenticeship with Wilson’s Plant and Haulage in Keswick where he learnt to operate a range of plant equipment, including their JCB 3CX. By the time he turned 21 he had also undertaken training within the construction industry achieving a CITB certification as a Building Technician. Ultimately, it is this passion for construction that has driven the bulk of T&B’s transformation throughout Ian’s time sharing the helm.

“When I joined, the company was nearly 100 per cent focused on agriculture, but now we’re closer to 95 per cent construction,” he explains. “Even though I wasn’t driving diggers anymore, I had always had a hankering to sell them, so once I had settled into the company I started looking at opportunities to diversify and expand the business.

In essence, I was aware that agriculture could be a difficult growth market and wanted to reduce our total reliance on it.”

Several opportunities to franchise compact construction equipment came about, but it wasn’t until Ian made a call to Hyundai in 2009 – at the height of the economic recession – that this shift really started. Ian comments: “Not many people were jumping up and down at this point to sell excavators, but I saw it as a great chance to enter into the industry whilst it was quiet in order to steadily build ourselves up for when the market recovered. From this point on the business grew.”

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INTERVIEW

Our customers are busy people.

Sometimes all they want is to pick up the phone and tell us what they need, and we want them to trust that we can deliver on that. We’re honest, up-front and open, and we don’t hide behind anything Left, Paul Taylor, business partner Director of Aftersales Right, Ian Burton, business partner Director of Sales

Ian had his own forecasts to sell 12 machines in the first year, 24 in the next and so on. In reality T&B effectively doubled this rate and turnover began to increase considerably. Since then the business has continued to diversify, taking on more and more supporting franchises such as Wacker Neuson, ProDem, and, more recently, Maximus as the company looks to gain a share in the crushing and screening sector.

“We’re trying to achieve a total package for our customers,” Ian says. “We know our customers already, so its about trying to grow our long-term relationships by offering a one-stop-shop and hopefully attracting new customers at the same time.”

It is perhaps testament to his commitment to T&B that it is difficult to distinguish Ian’s beliefs and ambitions from those of the company. His personal values of honesty, integrity and professionalism to achieve total customer satisfaction define the way the company does business and manifests itself in how it interacts with its customers. Ian is a firm believer of simple business and treating others as you wish to be treated yourself. “People do business with people,” he says

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emphatically. “Our customers are busy people. Sometimes all they want is to pick up the phone and tell us what they need, and we want them to trust that we can deliver on that. We’re honest, up-front and open, and we don’t hide behind anything. My aim is to build and maintain relationships with customers both old and new.”

It is for this reason that when you do pick up the phone to T&B you are likely to speak directly with Ian or his business partner Paul Taylor, Director of Aftersales, both of whom are able to provide a quick decision there and then.

In fact, in taking his role at T&B Ian has been able to get back out on the road and is heavily involved in much of the face-toface interaction with customers.

“I’ve been there,” he explains.

“I’ve been out on site and faced the same challenges that many of our customers are facing and I understand their needs. So for me, it’s important that I can get out and speak with customers and help deliver that service. As well as this – and this is probably key – I enjoy it!”

However, despite the success that has followed him into T&B, Ian is quick to celebrate the support and professionalism afforded

to him by Paul and the talented team underneath him. “I’ve been able to make a lot of decisions as to where we are taking the business but I’ve done so with the full backing of Paul and his father, Harold who was an original founding partner,” he expresses.

“They have supported me in doing my job and we have a very strong company with a strong team around us. Together we’re able to achieve our vision.”

Passion, dedication and hard work have defined Ian’s career to this point and all have permeated through T&B as it has transformed over the last decade. It won’t be a surprise to see that this commitment to serving the wide reaching needs of its customers will be continuing well into the future with Ian announcing that T&B have recently secured a new franchise to distribute Pronar recycling equipment range throughout the North of England.

These products compliment T&B’s existing franchises, and further demonstrate T&B’s ethos of being able to supply the customer with exactly what they need, and their commitment to the customer and their business.

www.t-and-b.co.uk

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Culturing

change Speaking with Ben Clark, Craig Hooper of CEMEX UK Aggregates asserts that adopting a process of continuous improvement is about transforming culture, not about dictating change

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he desire to improve performance is a defining feature of any successful business and no more is this desire brought into plainer focus than amidst an economic downturn. The added pressures of having to cut costs and become more efficient become critical in order to remain competitive and ultimately survive. “An immediate knee-jerk reaction would be to lose your people and close the poorer performing operations down, and we at CEMEX have been through this cycle before,” explains Craig Hooper, UK Operations Project Manager at CEMEX. “It is a cycle that happens in all businesses from time to time, particularly when facing global economic crises, and we wanted to try and do something different that helped us sustain what we had, whilst remaining competitive in a difficult environment. Over the last five years we have kept operating cost increases below inflation year on year.”

All global organisations face the

constant challenge of maximising the leverage of their intellect to unlock its true potential.

Leadership, communication and engagement are at the heart of this and CEMEX’s UK business has turned towards continuous improvement (Ci) to tackle these challenges head on. “It’s easy to work out what you need and want to do as a business, but getting it into the hearts and minds of

everybody is always a challenge,” Craig continues. “It was important for us to move away from a confrontational, dictatorial style of leadership and culture to a more open, collaborative and communicative one, and in doing so bring the team together with a common goal and become more efficient as a company.

At CEMEX everything we do is geared towards ensuring

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CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

that we remain the supplier, employer and solutions partner of choice, so to this end we have a desire to continuously improve performance.”

The concept of Ci is often one that is applied to a manufacturing scenario – implementing incremental changes to improve factory efficiencies and overall productivity by micro managing KPI’s and transferring ownership of the results of each process element to the person doing the work. Perhaps the most well known example of this is ‘kaizen’, the Japanese word for ‘change for the better’ and is a culture that has been made famous by Toyota.

CEMEX’s adoption of the process has centred on bringing that culture of change over to its own operations and in doing so has demonstrated its effectiveness

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within its own practices.

The first stage of sowing the seeds of this cultural shift was through an organisational redesign, whereby the old regional business structure was replaced with a flatter single UK aggregate business divided into commercial and operational functions.

“Following this change we were able to embark on defining the path to deliver our business goals,” Craig highlights. “What better way to achieve this than to involve our people, listen to their ideas and then empower them to deliver. Our key focus was to keep it simple, involve everyone and make things happen fast and it was clear from the start that the line management structure was key to achieving this.

“The great thing was that none of us were, and still aren’t, Ci

experts and this means that there are very few boundaries to what we see is possible and can be attempted. Everyone is raw and open to a new change mechanism, and by actively encouraging people to suggest and try new things, whilst making it okay to fail, we have faced very little resistance.” CEMEX has been able to deliver this under the umbrella of an internal brand, JUSTCi (Joined Up Strategy Through Continuous Improvement) where it has translated an off-theshelf lean toolkit into routines, systems and processes that can be applied to its own business.

With 63 quarries and wharves and an average of ten people per site, compared with a large car manufacturing plant with hundreds of people, it faces a slightly different challenge in the way it needs to adopt Ci. For instance it has an open-minded approach to technology, such as using Whatsapp, to promote widespread communication.

Another key to achieving this change was in altering the management style. By bringing everyone on board, managers have become much more open with their teams who, in turn, are more willing to approach and discuss any issues they may face on a daily basis, exploring new ideas and discovering new solutions that can make working practices easier and more efficient. Critically, by creating these channels of discussion, the company has given its employees an outlet for suggesting a range of improvements.

Indeed, taking this even further, employees have also been given the power to implement many of these suggestions. Everybody is targeted to submit six ideas per year and each month a prize is awarded for the best submission.

Key to turning ideas into action, the company only qualifies an idea once it has been proven.

“Of course, there are some ideas that require large amounts of investment that we look at more closely before we give

the green light, but this process has reaped massive benefits,” Craig says. “Many of these are things that we’ve either wanted to do for a long time but haven’t actively pursued, or were too obvious for us to notice, but by empowering a much wider pool of minds and skills, many ideas are now converted into reality very quickly.”

Whilst not every change has a direct financial value, Craig has been able to keep a running total of improvements that do, and each year the organisation is seeing upwards of three million pounds worth of benefits born from the implementation of Ci ideas system alone. One area where its effects have been particularly noticeable is in energy efficiency. “For as long as I can remember in the company we have known that we need to be switching lights off, fitting high efficiency motors to our processing plants, and improving our haul roads, which can lead to greater fuel efficiency and so on. We have known all these things but have never made a significant, company-wide effort to make them happen,” he explains. “Thanks to our JUSTCi programme we have been able to see significant improvements here by engaging people to take action.

“When it comes to our efficiency results I often get asked what is the single biggest thing we have done to achieve this and the answer is: ‘I don’t know.’ We can’t pinpoint the exact initiative, because hundreds of little things have been implemented and shared across our operations. I think this is the definition of Ci. You identify little things, you work out how to solve them, you run and monitor them and see if they can be improved even more, and then repeat. An alternative is to employ an expert or a consultant to point at things, write a list and say fix it, but this lacks the same employee engagement that actually makes things happen.”

What is really noticeable of

continuous improvement as demonstrated by CEMEX is the effect it has had not only on the company’s productivity, but also the change in the attitude of its people. The empowerment that has resulted from the programme has created a self-fulfilling evolution of improvement within the business, which Craig notes has led to a much more motivated workforce. Whereas before, few employees were keen to climb the ladder and put themselves forward for leadership positions, now that the management role has become more teamorientated, the company is seeing more and more people wanting to occupy these positions.

“Having a common purpose and a common goal has been a fantastic vehicle to bring people together. For CEMEX UK this is to be the best for our five key stakeholders (families, customers, employees, communities, shareholders) and the sense of ownership that ensues has had a big impact on employee retention, absence levels and in the way we interact with the customer,” he says. “Ci is a team sport, and involving everyone from site teams to managerial levels, and enabling collective brainstorming has been a revelation for CEMEX.” The ways in which continuous improvement can be strategically approached and implemented are numerous. A vast pool of tools and programmes are widely available to utilise and follow, all of which are highly dependent on what kind of business it is, what objectives are in place and what resources are available as to how they are applied. However, it can be easy to fall into the trap of following a strict set of KPIs and to dictate change from the top following very little engagement with the ‘shop floor’. Those businesses that succeed with continuous improvement and clearly experience its benefits are those that, like CEMEX, have been able to align the change process with their own culture.

CEMEX approached change

with a simple vision: to improve performance. And by doing so, without the inhibitions of expertise and foreknowledge of what is and isn’t possible, has successfully transformed its culture to one where all its employees are encouraged and empowered to make change where they see that change is needed. Whilst financially the bottom line has significantly benefited from the process, Craig is clear that the advantages have permeated even further by making the business a better one to work for, as an employee, and with, as a customer, and what better position to be in when facing the ever evolving challenges present within the industry.

CEMEX CEMEX’s story begins over a century ago as a local cement plant in Northern Mexico.

What ensued was a long and successful period of organic and acquired growth to become one of the world’s leading companies, today turning over around $15 billion thanks to the efforts of more than 40,000 employees. In the UK, CEMEX has been a key player in the market for over 80 years supplying an extensive range of products from concrete, cement, mortars, screeds and aggregates to asphalt, concrete block pavings, rail products, and bespoke precast and concrete blocks. Courtesy of 230 local mixing plants, 63 quarries and a large logistical capability CEMEX UK is able to deliver a complete range of marketleading solutions to meet every application throughout the UK by road, rail, sea and inland waterways. With around 3500 people operating within this network, the UK subsidiary generates close to £775 million in annual sales.

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IT

Protect your assets

With only nine per cent of plant machinery stolen in the UK being recovered, Andy Barrs asks: How does the construction and civil engineering industry address such poor recovery rates?

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t is estimated that the theft of plant and agricultural machinery costs an estimated £1.5million every week in the UK 1. As I write this article, working in conjunction with Kent Police, TRACKER has just recovered a stolen Atlas Copco AC 654 air compressor that had been stolen from a building site in Canterbury only two hours earlier – a great result for our client who is a major civil engineering company operating predominantly in London and the Home Counties. With margins in the building industry being squeezed ever tighter, the loss of an important piece of machinery like this can often result in costly delays to our client’s contract schedules, so getting this piece of plant back in such a short space of time was a real bonus, not to mention the potential losses/inconvenience associated with non-recoveries, e.g. lost productivity, increased

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insurance premiums and sourcing replacement machinery.

Unfortunately, according the Plant & Agricultural National Intelligence Unit (PANIU), run by the Met Police, the national recovery rate for plant machinery currently stands at nine per cent, whilst installing Datatag’s secure marking system ‘Caeser’ increases this to 28 per cent.

Demand for machinery abroad Plant thieves are usually highly organised and employ a broad range of tactics to steal valuable items of machinery, many of which are destined for export via any one of the major ports in the UK. Rapid building expansion in the Far East, Africa and Eastern Europe has created unprecedented demand for such machinery that frequently end up in containers on their way to ports such as Tilbury and Southampton. Fortunately, a

combination of TRACKER’s longstanding relationship with the Ports Police and our unique VHF tracking technology, means that a significant amount of stolen plant is recovered before it is shipped out of the country.

Certainly in terms of the more valuable pieces of plant machinery like Telehandlers, there is currently a global market ready and waiting, particularly in the Far East and Africa. For example, a Telehandler was recently returned to Felixstowe Port by Saudi Customs and was found to have been originally stolen from a farm in South Yorkshire. Indeed, thefts of JCB and Manitou Telehandlers are currently on the increase.

Common techniques for stealing machinery We are no longer surprised by the speed at which items of plant are stolen, for example, a TRACKER fitted JCB Telehandler was stolen in Lincolnshire and

recovered in under two hours

by Hertfordshire Police at South Mimms Services on the M25 – the driver of the Telehandler had just taken a 15 minute lunchbreak and was absolutely gobsmacked to discover it had been stolen whilst he enjoyed a bacon sandwich! The HGV containing the Telehandler was destined for Lithuania via the port of Tilbury but its driver is now languishing in police custody.

Unfortunately, our experience as a stolen vehicle tracking and recovery company suggests that many construction sites still lack even the most basic physical security measures, meaning that determined thieves are able to walk on to site and steal equipment quite easily. A common trend is for thieves to turn up on sites at weekends and/ or out-of-hours, purporting to be maintenance engineers, who then go on to compromise ignition systems and either drive or tow items of plant away without being challenged. In this respect, we often talk to witnesses who report seeing what they believed to be mechanics working on a machine, when in actual fact they were in the process of stealing it.

A further frustration is the ‘single-key’ approach previously adopted by plant manufacturers, basically a ‘one key fits all’ approach, whereby the ignition key will fit any model of the same make. Whilst significant improvements have been made in recent years (largely due to work

by PANIU), this in turn has fuelled the theft of older plant machinery, again due to the sheer demand created by overseas markets.

Tampering with identification numbers Additionally, it is well known that criminals prefer to steal property where they can easily remove or change the original manufacturer’s identification numbers or marks. Tampering

with these important identification numbers makes the stolen property less likely to be identified and hinders the police in tracing the real owner. This is why the Caesar marking system used by our partners at Datatag is such a good means of deterring thieves.

The Datatag security system comprises a range of methods for identifying a stolen vehicle and its components, including: an ultraviolet ‘microdot’ fluid which uniquely identifies the vehicle and can be applied to any surface, an acid etching kit with a security number, and two microchips (like those used to track a pet).

From a security point of view I would always encourage operators to fit a TRACKER to their plant equipment. However, there are a number of simple steps that can be taken to reduce potential theft opportunities and improve chances of being reunited with stolen equipment, including; secure marking, conducting thorough audits of site security and working in partnership with the police to deter thefts.

It is clear that plant theft in the construction and civil engineering

industry is a problematic issue.

With valuable equipment being stolen and shipped abroad by criminals, a change in the way these assets are protected is essential. By taking the appropriate security measures to safeguard machinery in the event of theft, operators – and the industry - will see positive financial and operational benefits.

HSB Engineering Insurance publication ‘Plant Theft – A Major Risk to UK Businesses’ July 2014 1

Andy Barrs is Head of Police Liaison at TRACKER, (part of the Tantalum Corporation).

TRACKER is the largest and most established stolen vehicle recovery business in the UK, with over 1.2 million tracking devices currently deployed.

Combined Industries Theft Solutions (CITS) is a not-for-profit body with unpaid members from across the construction and plant industry.

CITS aims to reduce theft by encouraging the adoption of common industry standards and seeks to engage with all sectors of the industry to make plant theft more difficult and unattractive to criminals.

For more information, please see www.tracker.co.uk

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news

£95m Ulster Hospital scheme South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust has appointed the GRAHAM-BAM Healthcare Partnership, a joint venture between GRAHAM Construction and BAM, to deliver Ulster Hospital’s new £95 million Acute Services Block – currently the largest live healthcare project in Ireland.

The Acute Services Block is part of the Trust’s wider redevelopment plan for the Belfast hospital, replacing the outdated existing main ward block and other specialist acute services within the wider hospital estate. This building will sit adjacent to a new £86 million ward facility presently being constructed by GRAHAM-BAM Healthcare Partnership on the same complex, scheduled to complete in autumn this year.

The GRAHAM-BAM Healthcare Partnership was appointed to the four year, £185 million construction framework in 2013. It has now been appointed as main contractor to deliver the second facility – an eight-storey, 31,000 sq m Acute Services Block, incorporating specialist wards, support services, assessment unit, inpatient imaging department, and a new emergency department which will have capacity for 110,000 attendances per year.

The scheme has been designed to achieve BREEAM Excellent and will use flat slab construction to integrate the structure with its services and the clinical spaces. The building’s high thermal mass will reduce operational running costs and the delivery of the structural and acoustic solutions will further support the healthcare services.

New student ‘habitat’ An historic building in the heart of Bristol has been transformed from a tired retail space into a modern facility for University of Bristol students and the public. Beacon House, a Grade II listed building which was previously a Habitat store until it closed in 2011, opened in April 2016 as a student study centre, public reception and cafe after a £12 million investment. The building has been carefully designed to meet the needs of students who increasingly need flexible study spaces in addition to traditional libraries.

It features easily moveable furniture so that the purpose of different spaces can be changed, sound-insulated booths to ensure quiet study, and even wireless mobile phone charging points.

Bristol-based firm Midas Construction, part of The Midas Group, has completely renovated the 2643 square metre facility over the last eight months. The project presented a number of challenges, namely the building’s location on a busy main road and the desire to preserve and enhance the listed part of the building, which was built as a hotel in the 1850s. In addition to the listed part of the building, there is also a more modern rear extension, which acted as the main floor space for Habitat. Fitting deeper plan windows to the first floor, removing redundant canopies and cleaning the stonework on the elevations have improved this area.

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Signed, sealed & delivered The first Hyundai HX140 L Tracked Excavator to be signed, sealed & delivered in the UK was sold by Taylor & Braithwaite Ltd in April and received by Mayson Bros Ltd, Egremont. The machine was swiftly put to work on the flood defence project in Glenridding, Lake District an area devastated by Storm Desmond last year.

The 14-tonne machine provides up to ten per cent better fuel economy and like other models in the HX series, the Hyundai HX140 L excavator comes packed with high-end features.

The new machine is helping support Mayson Bros with the flood repair work that they are undertaking in conjunction with the Environment Agency.

Specifically, taking out the old wall in the village of Glenridding and creating a floodwall.

£27m development Decorean has won the contract for the £27m office to residential development of Bartley Wood Business Park in Hook. The development, which represents one of the UK’s largest office to residential developments in a business park to date, will see the 84,000sq ft business park, change from existing commercial usage into 107 modern one and two bedroom apartments, set over three floors. The flats will include oversized windows, high ceilings and will be built to a high standard. The construction is expected to be completed in winter 2017.

In brief Panel in demand

Super sewer security The official opening of London’s new multi-million pound ‘super sewer’ has triggered the installation of high security perimeter protection for its main access points. The points are being secured by perimeter security expert Zaun, with its most intruderresistant product, ArmaWeave, with double leaf gates.

It is being installed by Zaun subsidiary Binns Fencing, who is working with main contractor MVB, a joint venture comprising Morgan Sindall, VINCI Construction Grands Projets and Bachy Soletanche.

ArmaWeave’s unique properties add substantial resistance to cutting attacks with hand,

powered and non-contact tools.

The tight mesh pattern provides no climbing aids, again limiting the potential for intrusion.

Former Mayor of London Boris Johnson opened Thames Water’s extension to the Lee Tunnel by flushing a toilet in an underground ceremony, declaring the £678 million project ‘an amazing achievement for British engineering’.

The 4.3 mile-long Lee Tunnel extension took four years to build and is designed to stop sewage flushing into the River Thames and River Lee. It will be followed by the construction of an even larger sewer, the Thames Tideway Tunnel, later this year.

Landmark rebirth Dragonfly Contracts Ltd has been appointed principal contractor for the £8million refurbishment of Manchester’s landmark development, ‘neo’. Formerly known as Bank House, the 12-storey building, located in Charlotte Street, Manchester, will undergo a total transformation in a bid to become developer Bruntwood’s most evolved workspace to date.

Once complete, the Manchester building will reveal new curtain walling and the complete refurbishment of reception and common areas. It will also undergo CAT A refurbishment to all 12 floors, with the first three floors accommodating a fully curated digital art space, innovatively-designed co-working space, lounge, roof terrace, kitchen and studio offices.

Dragonfly Director, Joe McKenna, said: “We have been working with Bruntwood for six years and striving hard towards a project of this size. Being awarded the neo contract truly is a game-changer for Dragonfly as it is recognition of the investment we’ve made and what we have been trying to achieve as a business.”

Bruntwood says neo will become home to forwardthinking businesses that have their minds set on growth and want more out of their workplace. With purposeful design thinking at its core, neo will create spaces for collaboration, helping businesses to grow as part of a vibrant community of entrepreneurs.

Panel Systems has reported a major increase in demand for Styrofloor, a high performance insulation solution for enhancing the energy efficiency of conservatories and extensions. This innovative flooring solution reduces the amount of heat that is lost through the floor, providing effective insulation than can achieve U-values as low as 0.11 W/m-K.

New brand revolution Enhabit, an environmentally conscious building design, project management and product brand, has launched with the aim of leading a step change in how the energy efficient retrofit of buildings are delivered in the UK. Enhabit specialises in the retrofit of existing buildings to incorporate high levels of insulation and other new technologies, so they are more air tight, more comfortable to live or work in and cheaper to run.

Greenest product portfolio SSAB has announced the launch of the greenest product portfolio of high quality colour coated steel for exterior building applications. Under the brand name GreenCoat, this offering is also one of the most comprehensive for the entire building industry. The launch of the new GreenCoat product portfolio provides a carefully composed range of long lasting, energy efficient colour coated solutions for roofing, facades and rainwater systems.

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ROAD BUILDING

Drive safe Nick Reed outlines the next steps which are vital to guaranteeing safe truck platooning trials later this year

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he confirmation of truck platooning trials on the UK’s roads later this year (as announced in the Chancellor’s Budget) was welcome news. The planned trial is set to examine the effect of platooning on a number of factors, including improving fuel efficiency and improving traffic flow, as well as improving road safety significantly – indeed, human error is a contributory factor in 95 per cent of road crashes1 . More concrete detail on the trial’s aims and objectives will emerge as the Department for Transport (DfT) seeks to clarify the shape they will take later this year.

However, in the meantime, it’s important to consider the next steps which are essential to ensuring the trials are successful, as the UK transitions towards automated vehicle technology

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adoption. The impact of increasing automation on our highways infrastructure is a key area that needs to be addressed to guarantee that the technology is successfully embedded across the UK. Both drivers’ transport requirements and the needs of our transport infrastructure are likely to change significantly as the journey to automation gathers pace.

Safety first Of course, safety must be the government’s biggest priority throughout the duration of the trials. Automation system safety must be proven before it moves to on-road trials, where the testing environment becomes increasingly complex. This will enable haulage experts to establish the scale of the benefits achievable to improve the UK’s road transport efficiency within the context of real-world driving, in addition to providing

infrastructure planners with more information on the future needs and requirements of our network.

Automated platooning – key considerations Moving towards greater levels of automation in trucks could not only deliver some extremely compelling efficiency improvements for the UK’s haulage industry, it could also offer a range of traffic management and road design benefits. The introduction of automated platooning, in which a number of vehicles automatically follow a manually driven vehicle, may facilitate the launch of innovative freight operations such as night-time dedicated semi or fully automated vehicle lanes.

Such a launch has the potential to develop into the introduction of fully segregated freight lanes, possibly as a guided route paved

dynamic road signs. For example, information could be sent directly to in-vehicle information systems, and eventually to an automated vehicle’s guidance systems.

With suitable human factors research, this could enable more flexible and innovative traffic management.

Some automation technologies, such as lane keeping systems, may require high quality road markings that can be recognised by on-board sensors. However, with detailed digital mapping, future automated systems may not require any road markings, lighting, road signs or variable message systems.

Enabling our roads to support automation

only under the wheel tracks, which would free motorway capacity for cars and light vehicles across a minimum of two lanes. This lane segregation would enable road planners to achieve greater cost efficiencies across the areas that will be used by lighter vehicles, due to the reduction in strength and durability in the road base required.

Additionally, a fully automated transport system should reduce the need for sharp braking, which will reduce the level of friction required on road surfaces. This could potentially allow current requirements for polished stone values (PSV) and texture depth requirements to be modified, which would deliver further cost efficiencies across our road infrastructure.

to smooth traffic flow, give greater journey time reliability and ultimately increase highway capacity. A system populated by fully automated, connected vehicles could take this concept further on interurban roads.

Not only would this enable vehicles to travel more closely and potentially at higher speed than at present, but it could also allow for lanes to be narrowed to increase capacity further, or to vary vehicle alignment to prevent rutting. Combined with the smoother driving that will become more prevalent as the number of autonomous vehicles on our road increases, maintenance requirements and costs could be significantly reduced.

Narrower lanes required

Automation could dramatically affect the requirement for information displayed on

UK roads feature variable speed limits and hard shoulder running

Signs and road markings

The speed at which automation develops is dependent on a number of factors, including enabling our road infrastructure to support automation. It will certainly require a change in mind-set and operational practices, and an increase in investment from our road building sector for the changes ahead.

With the combined costs to our economy of road crashes and congestion running to billions, there is certainly a powerful incentive to make that investment.

1

1983 Sabey (TRRL LF976) Factors

contributing to road accidents

Nick Reed is academy director at the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL).

TRL provides independent and impartial world-class research, consultancy, testing and certification for all aspects of transport.

Commercially independent and with more than 80 years of knowledge and experience embedded in its history, TRL’s work encompasses a breadth of areas that shape and form today’s transport decisions including: safety, highway engineering and maintenance, sustainability, attitudes and behaviours, simulation and modelling, climate change, engineering, product development, standards and specifications.

For more information, please see www.trl.co.uk

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brownfield development

The benefits of

brownfield Jeff Wilton discusses why we should embrace brownfield development

I

n order to stimulate the construction of up to 45,000 new houses, and provide affordable housing for the next generation, the UK government has recently announced the establishment of up to 28 Housing Zones across the country. The development of brownfield sites, defined as ‘previously developed land’ that has the potential for being redeveloped (which is often land that has been used for industrial and commercial purposes and is now derelict and possibly contaminated) will contribute heavily to this plan. At least 30,000 (two thirds) of these

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Below Jeff Wilton, Managing Director at CET Infrastructure

homes will be built on such sites – with the dual aim of avoiding green belt construction and maximising currently unused land.

To achieve this, some £6.3m has been earmarked as investment to provide developers with the funds to rejuvenate land potentially affected by contamination.

This announcement is a key element of the government’s Housing and Planning Bill, which aims to achieve a target of delivering one million new homes by 2020 and to open the door to aspiring homeowners.

The Housing and Planning Bill will place a new legal duty on councils to: guarantee the

delivery of ‘starter homes’ on all reasonably sized new development sites; give permission in principle for sites identified in plans and brownfield registers; and introduce planning reforms supporting small builders and local demand for custom build.

The lack of available green spaces for development purposes has meant that brownfield sites have become increasingly popular in recent years, especially in places where demand for residential and commercial property is high. It is estimated that there are over 66,000 hectares of

brownfield sites in England, and around a third of these are in the high-growth areas of Greater London and the South East.

The government has committed to developing brownfield sites as a priority and has already exceeded its 2008 target of building over 60 per cent of new houses on brownfield sites.

The most common driver behind a contaminated land investigation is the planning conditions imposed on a development by a Local Authority. Such conditions are often associated with a change to a more sensitive end use, from commercial, industrial

or agricultural to residential.

Alternatively, planning conditions can be stipulated if a Local Authority is aware of a significant source of ground contamination, such as a landfill site or historical pollution incident, in the general vicinity of a study site.

Regardless of the financial incentives and planning reforms, many developers are still wary of the potential pitfalls associated with the development of brownfield sites. Contaminated land investigations can seem overcomplicated and onerous to those unfamiliar with the process, however it is possible to de-risk these projects with targeted and phased investigations to ensure regulatory compliance without significantly impacting either cost or programme. Specialist geotechnical testing partners will assess the risks associated with potentially contaminated land through a phased or tiered approach, referencing current UK policy and technical guidance provided by Contaminated Land Publication CLR11 Model Procedures for the Management of Land Contamination and British Standard BS10175 Investigation of Potentially Contaminated Sites – Code of Practice.

The recognised first phase of any investigation is a desk study, otherwise known as a Phase I Preliminary Risk Assessment (PRA). The PRA uses site reconnaissance, historical map and environmental database information in order to identify potential on and off site sources of ground contamination that could pose a risk to human, environmental and built receptors.

To developers, the PRA sometimes feels like an unnecessary expense that hinders progress as it does not involve physically exposing any contamination present beneath the site. However, by carrying out a comprehensive and robust desk based assessment, compliance with current guidance can be

ensured as well as providing the developer with advance warning of potentially significant ground risks that could adversely impact their cost and programme.

Upon completion of the Phase I assessment, a site-specific Phase II intrusive investigation must be implemented to address the relationship between conceptual sources, pathways and receptors of contamination established by the PRA. This approach offers benefits to developers as it prevents the undertaking of unnecessary site works and laboratory testing.

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brownfield development

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Examples of how the findings of the PRA can be used to the benefit of developers are as follows: • If a point source of contamination such as a fuel tank is identified, intrusive works and sample recovery can be specifically targeted, thus gaining the maximum amount of relevant information during a site visit; • I f the PRA does not identify a potential source of hazardous ground gases, such as landfill site or backfilled pit, it would not be necessary to form boreholes and install and

As the above demonstrates, by adhering to the phased approach stipulated by guidance, CET can ensure regulatory compliance without carrying out superfluous field work at significant cost.

Unfortunately, there are many projects where significant potential ground contamination is identified by the initial phases of risk assessment. This would trigger the requirement for remediation in order to ameliorate the risks posed to identified sensitive receptors. In such instances CET is able to appraise the various available options

periodically monitor standpipes; • I f the PRA does not establish a sensitive controlled water receptor, such as a potable groundwater abstraction or river/stream, it would not be necessary to recover water samples for chemical testing; • I f the PRA does not identify any current or historical sources of ground contamination either on or in the general vicinity of the study site, it is possible to dismiss the requirement for investigative works entirely.

and formulate an appropriate Remediation Plan. This document would not only detail the nature of the remediation works to be undertake, but would also stipulate the methods of validation that would enable the successful completion of the works to be demonstrated to the regulatory authorities.

In our experience it is vital to liaise with the regulatory authorities during this process so that any comments or concerns they have can be addressed and

incorporated into the Remediation Plan. This approach will ensure prompt discharge of the planning condition upon completion and issue of the final verification/ closure report.

Developers should therefore not be fearful of considering residential redevelopment of potentially contaminated sites and although this process may feel complicated, arduous and full of potential pitfalls, support from expert partners such as CET can simplify the procedure and contribute to a successful development.

Jeff Wilton is Managing Director at CET Infrastructure. Trusted by both the insurance and construction sectors, CET supplies a range of specialist outsourced services across the UK. Its services include home emergency response, claims management, subsidence investigations, drainage services, materials testing, environmental consultancy, geotechnical investigations and contaminated land surveys.

For more information, visit

www.cet-uk.com

profile: Pave Aways

Strong

foundations Pave Aways’ commitment to client relationships and quality delivery has allowed it to become a leader in the local market

P

ave Aways took its first breath back in 1973, when it started providing civil engineering services, such as groundworks, hard landscaping and path/drive construction, to local builders and private clients alike. Slowly establishing a name for itself in the local communities around Shropshire, the business started

to pick up building maintenance contracts and construction work, which eventually took over as the core service. By 1997, Pave Aways was turning over £6.5 million, but keen to expand even further the company set about growing its client base and taking on larger and more demanding projects. The strategy paid off and the business’ reputation grew. By 2011, turnover had soared to over £15 million and

more than 80 people were helping Pave Aways achieve success.

Steady and focused commitment to delivering high quality projects safely, on time and on budget has defined Pave Aways history, and whilst the name no longer aptly describes its services the reputation it has garnered in the UK construction industry remains strong. Projects range from £25,000 to £6 million across Shropshire, its neighbouring regions and the northern counties of Wales and thanks to unrivalled financial stability, Pave Aways has become a leader in these markets.

Today the company specialises in a range of services, both small works and maintenance, which hark back to its early days but also large new construction,

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profile: Pave Aways

refurbishment, and complete design and build. Moreover, throughout its four decades of operations, Pave Aways has established a stronghold in the education, healthcare, retail and leisure markets.

One recent example of the company’s work is the Discovery Centre for Telford College of Arts and Technology (TCAT).

Valued at ÂŁ2.15 million, the building comprises a steelframed structure clad in Kingspan microrib panels with a blockwork internal skin and Euroclad standing seam roof. Significant groundworks were required to allow the building to sit upon a plateau, including plateau extension and bank landscaping, with all excavated material reused on site. Environmental features such as photovoltaic panels and rainwater harvesting are also present, with an 80 cubic metre water retention tank installed

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as part of the drainage system.

Completed in 2013, the flagship centre is a great platform to develop young engineering and technology talent for the region.

Continuing its work with TCAT, in 2014 Pave Aways completed and handed over a new training centre for the automotive industry at the college. The ÂŁ3.5 million engineering centre is aimed at

giving students the right skills to work for garages and dealerships, and is considered to be among the most technologically advanced in the region.

Another demonstration of Pave Aways expertise can be seen in an extensive farm building renovation and modification project for Walford and North Shropshire College. Handed over

in January 2014 after a 26-week build programme for £1.1 million, the project is a continuation of the company’s historic working relationship with the college.

It included the conversion of an existing building into a Rural Enterprise Centre and a former stable block into a Rural Skills Centre. A wide range of competencies were called upon to complete the contract including gutting, structural repairs, laying new floor slabs, re-roofing, fitting new windows and completing an internal fit out. Outside, extensive hard and soft landscaping also took place.

“Having worked with Pave Aways several times over the past few years, we always expect a good end result and a wellmanaged project,” says David Candlin, Estates Manager at

RMW Electrical Services RMW Electrical Services are proud to have been working with Paveaways Ltd for more than 25 years.

Our most recent projects were at Telford College and Shrewsbury School.

RMW are one of Shropshire’s largest electrical contractors providing a first class service for both commercial and industrial sectors. Established in 1981, we have achieved a reputation for delivering high standards of work across every aspect of the business.

Congratulations Paveaways on your continued success.

Walford and North Shropshire College, commenting on the renovation project. “The projects recently completed were perhaps the most complex and because of that I have been particularly impressed with the manner in which they have been approached and completed.”

Beyond educational works, Pave Aways have also been responsible for a new main entrance, worth £2.7 million, for the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Hospital in Shropshire, the major redevelopment of Shrewsbury Fire Station and the construction of Telford Tennis Centre, which was built on the brownfield site of a former colliery.

Aiding the company’s robust portfolio and well-regarded reputation within its key markets, is a broad range of

HSQE accreditation and awards that testify to the high level of attention the business pays to delivering the best possible service. However, it is not just a strong adherence to working practices that has enabled Pave Aways to occupy its leading position, but also a clear commitment to developing longstanding relationships with clients.

There is no doubt that, as the company continues to win and hand over key regional projects, these values will remain a defining feature well into the future.

Pave Aways Ltd www.paveaways.co.uk Services: Shropshire based company specialising in construction, refurbishment and planning services

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profile: Baufritz

freshair A breath of

Baufritz’s approach to providing eco-friendly and healthy homes is proving successful as sales continue to grow across Europe

O

ne hundred and twenty years ago Sylvester Fritz founded a group of carpenters to build roof constructions, churches and agricultural buildings in Erkheim, Bavaria. In the 1930s it delivered its first timber houses and today, under its fourth generation of family management, over 300 employees are producing 200 prefabricated homes a year. Truly bespoke,

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ecological and healthy homes are the defining feature of the present day business – a leading light in quality and sustainable buildings.

Baufritz’s biggest market by far is its domestic German market, where unique houses represent the firm’s design and build capabilities in all corners.

Switzerland, Luxembourg and the UK trail as key satellite markets where the business has been able to overcome local challenges and tap into a host

of opportunities. “Across these markets there are only a few competitors that also specialise in timber buildings, and there are even fewer that offer an offsite manufactured proposition, so the market is still very niche,” explains Managing Director Oliver Rehm.

“When people decide to go with us for a self-build project they do so because they receive a bespoke product that is made by machines to a very high

standard,” he continues. “They are given a certainty of cost and they are given 120 years of experience in building timber buildings. We provide a complete turnkey service from design and manufacture to the installation and all other associated site works from planning permission to ground works, and can complete this with internal fit out and the creation of bespoke furniture.

We are a one-stop-shop for people’s dream homes, with a

certainty of price and timescale and an approach to sustainability and ecological security that is arguably unrivalled.”

Baufritz takes its responsibility not only to its customers but also to its surrounding environment very seriously. The level of service afforded to its clients is open and honest, with the company inviting prospective homeowners to visit the production facilities in Erkheim, to visit show homes and even to speak to former

customers. The health of its customers is also important and leading innovation has seen the firm develop solutions such as Electrosmog ventilation systems and non-toxic, 100 per cent organic external paints to ensure its homes are as safe and as healthy as possible.

“Sustainability is the core of our business,” Oliver explains.

“We only produce buildings that protect humans and nature in harmony, and this means we are

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profile: Baufritz

continuously developing new ways of building this into our homes. This could involve the way we produce, how we source our materials and how we apply certain products. We have, for instance, developed our own LED lighting systems and even established our own assessment standards that go beyond those required by legislation. This includes energy efficiency levels, the materials used, the air quality, ventilation performance and so

on. We want to be pioneers in this field so we have to stay ahead of the market.”

Two of Baufritz’s newest show homes in Germany perfectly represent the level of attention the company not only pays towards the quality of its houses but also to sustainability. Oliver highlights the healthiest building the company has ever built on the shores of Lake Constance in southwest Germany, designed to showcase the Baufritz signature of solid design and

eco-friendly living. “Prospective customers are invited to spend a night at the health-certified property to get a feel for living in such a beautiful environment,” he comments. The second sits just outside Munich and is Germany’s first ‘MinEnergy-A-ECO’ and ‘Sentinel’ certified house. Thanks to solar, wind and fuel cell systems, the building is near self-sufficient for heat and power.

Other recent highlights for the company from a business

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profile: Baufritz

perspective include a large development of 25 semi-detached homes in southwest Germany in partnership with a property developer. “This is the first time this has happened as our solutions can often be too expensive for a property developer to take on,” outlines Oliver. “However, by developing a hybrid construction

GES Digital GES Digital Ltd are proud to feature alongside Baufritz, Germany’s leading ECO house builder. GES Digital have been bringing bespoke solutions to German homes in the UK for over six years and have 15 years’ experience with KNX, the worldwide standard for building control. We have been installing future ready buildings for the last 20 years in all sectors of the industry.

We carry out all aspects of electrical work in buildings, which means less contractors on site and an efficient installation. We do this on buildings at every stage of their life from concept, design and initial construction to refurbishment and updating.

Working directly with manufacturers to bring the best technologies to end users, we are able to fulfil all of your technical requirements. We help you choose the right technology now, saving money later.

concept that combines our prefabricated timber wall and roof sections with prefabricated concrete elements, material usage and costs were reduced and we are now looking to develop this type of partnership further. We have also funded and developed 12 flats for the open market here in our home village, which is interesting as these are much larger and taller buildings than we are used to and shows just how versatile timber and Baufritz’s expertise is.”

Looking forward to the next two years, Baufritz currently has a full order book following a strong period of growth as markets become more receptive to high-end, eco-friendly homes.

With favourable investment conditions in Germany, this

remains the strongest market with Luxembourg showing similar signs. However, with land in the UK becoming more and more scarce and subsequently expensive, Oliver notes that customer’s wishing to follow a self-build route here are often cash buyers looking for large projects. Nevertheless, with business as strong as it is, Baufritz will soon be embarking on a significant expansion programme at its home factory. An extension designed to connect the two existing factory buildings will be installed in September this year, with new machinery and upgrades taking place at the same time.

“We will also be redesigning our layout to improve work flow,” Oliver says. “Overall it should increase capacity by about 30 per

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profile: Baufritz

cent, so there is lots of work to do to prepare for that and it does mean that factory will be down in December and January, but afterwards we should be seeing a lot more homes coming out, which is great. We will also be opening a new show home on the site in October.”

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Also helping to meet increased demand the company has recently brought on a number of new staff to increase the scope of expertise held at Baufritz. “Integrating these people into the business over the coming months will be very important,” says Oliver. “Making sure they are happy is key to us

running a successful business.

We will also be focusing on improving our customer service and aftersales business to forge long-standing relationships with our customers and ensure we look after them long into the future. In terms of our own long term vision, it’s difficult to say, as market conditions are changeable, but ensuring we retain our competitive edge with new innovations and developments will remain core and our people and their skills will be central to achieving this.”

Baufritz www.baufritz.co.uk Services: Specialist prefabricated timber house builders

profile: Electrical Industries Group

Robust

platform

Electrical Industries Group brings a world-class portfolio of industrial solutions to the Caribbean market

E

lectrical Industries Group (EIG), located in Trinidad and Tobago, is a manufacturer and distributor of electrical cables, plastic and lighting solutions for the Caribbean, extra-regional and international markets. As part of this offering, the company also represents major international brands through its distribution division. EIG boasts leading brands of extremely high quality and value, and is well known in the construction industry of numerous markets.

In 1997, the company acquired Electrical Industries Ltd (EIL), a premier electrical cables manufacturer, itself a company with a history in the region dating back to 1969. Agos Lighting, a leading industrial lighting brand, and Century Elson Ltd, one of the Caribbean’s biggest plastic manufacturers, later joined in 2009 and 2011, respectively. In terms of distribution, EIG has established strong supplier relationships with well-known international brands such as GE, DAB Pumps and Leviton, amongst others, to provide a fully integrated and wide-reaching package of solutions to its customers.

“We have a really great

technical history with very longstanding regional brands that are industry leaders in each of the sectors that we operate in for quality, reliability and for the service that we provide,” highlights Solomon Rodney, VP

Plastics and Distribution. “We have been in the market for over 50 years and this time has allowed us to develop a unique offering that makes us very competitive across our extraregional and local sectors.”

EIL, the cable division, focuses solely on producing high quality electrical cables that are made from 99.99 per cent pure copper to ensure high performance, reliability and safety. As a group, EIG holds a number of internationally recognised industry standards and quality certificates and EIL was the first company in Trinidad and Tobago to achieve ISO9000 accreditation (later upgraded to ISO9001). Century Elson, the plastics division, runs three individual plants dedicated to roto-moulding tanks, PVC pipes and injection moulding for producing PVC fittings and industrial packaging solutions (plastic pails, buckets and crates).

In addition to this, EIG’s Lighting Division (Agos) is a leader in producing quality light fixtures and is the Caribbean’s largest manufacturer of fluorescent options. Solomon notes that within this division, the company has recently begun to look at energy saving solutions.

Innovation has defined the

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profile: Electrical Industries Group

way EIG has done business throughout the years. Not only in the products it provides but also in the way it has developed its strategy to meet customer needs and to manufacture high quality products. Solomon highlights that by consolidating high value items, such as electrical cables, with relatively low value products, like plastic pipes, the company is able to offer cost benefits to its customers. Having such a wide range of lines, both its own and of its distribution brands’, also adds to being able to offer a fully integrated service to customers.

“We try to support all our project partners with integrated solutions that follow the lifecycle of a project,” he continues.

“We are a key representative for General Electric in our local market, which contributes to around 60 per cent of our distribution business. This agreement means that we can provide a full range of GE solutions such as low to medium voltage switchgear systems. In fact, we have a local switchgear manufacturing plant set up within our lighting division, from which we can produce customised switchgear solutions for both local and some other regional

markets. Ultimately, thanks to our own lines and the extensive range of distribution agreements we have in place we are able to offer everything from consultancy right through to pipes and fittings, cables, lighting, switches and so on, which is beyond what many of our competitors can manage by supplying single lines.”

Such a strong portfolio makes for a robust platform upon which EIG is able to react positively to changing market conditions. At present, market conditions are somewhat favourable. Despite reporting a slight dampening in local demand, Solomon points out a recent merger of two major competitors in the Dominican Republic and the opportunities this has opened up for the company as a result. “A lot of customers want a duality of supply as part of their business continuity plans,” he says. “Therefore this merger has created new opportunities for us. At the same time, it has forced us to rethink the way we do things and to become more efficient so that we can meet the demands of new markets that are often a bit more price sensitive to what we are accustomed to. It’s about tweaking our products so that we

don’t just offer a low cost solution, but a good quality product at a better price, which is great for all our customers.”

Another key opportunity for EIG is the low oil price, which, whilst putting some pressure on the economy, has freed up more cash for regional governments to invest into infrastructural projects that can create new opportunities for the company. However, the market outlook is not without its challenges and the company is aware that ensuring its customers are knowledgeable of its full range and developing its innovation and sustainability will be critical to making the most of any new and current market opportunities.

With this in mind it is no surprise that growth is very much on the cards for EIG’s future. “The coming years will be focused on investing more into the business and to grow our export markets whilst at the same time ensuring we continue improving the service we provide to our local markets,” Solomon concludes. “This will put us in a really strong position as we look even further into the future at opening up markets in Cuba and Central America.”

Electrical Industries Group www.electricalindustriesgroup.com Services: Manufacturer and distributor of electrical cables, plastic and lighting solutions for Caribbean market 29

profile: Vandersanden Group

Brick by

brick Vandersanden Group’s commitment to customer satisfaction, innovation and highly advanced production capabilities is securing its position ahead of the market

V

andersanden Group started life in 1925 in the small backyard of Jaak Vandersanden in Spouwen, Belgium. From humble beginnings, equipped with only a field kiln and field press where bricks would dry under shelters, the company has steadily grown

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into one of Europe’s biggest suppliers of bricks. The acquisition of Euceram and Mosabrik brickworks in the 80s and of two Huwa plants in Hedikhuizen and Spijk in the early 2000s quickened the pace of expansion. Today, the Vandersanden Group produces around 350 million bricks and turns over 100 million euros a year

courtesy of four production sites in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Today’s business centres on a wide-ranging portfolio of brick products from traditional masonry blocks to paving bricks and bricked panels, all falling under the well-known Vandersanden, SIGNA, E-Board, E-Brick, Huwa, and Zero brands. “Thanks to this

broad offering combined with our highly advanced production facilities we are a very flexible company,” explains Operations Director, Bart Van Winkel. “We work across a number of sectors in a range of markets and we try to ensure we give the best service possible to each. We’re very open, and whilst our high quality

systems can’t always compete on price, we occupy a strong position because of our focus on customer relationships and making sure they are secured for the long-term.”

Innovation sits at the heart of Vandersanden Group, with a variety of solutions being marketed to help customers from

independent DIY consumers right up to professional contractors. It distributes E-Brick and E-Board products, for example, which combine high-grade exterior wall insulation technology with a flexible brick aesthetics. Both offering similar properties, E-Brick is a ready-made system perfectly suited to professionals to install on major projects. E-Board, on the other hand, is aimed towards less skilled home improvers, giving them the ability to create their own functional insulating walls.

Then there are Huwa’s paving bricks of which the company produces 75 million a year at its Spijk plant. Using robotic and high-tolerance heat-treating processes, the brand offers a

31

profile: Vandersanden Group

full range of colours and pattern arrangements and can deliver direct to site for easy installation.

SIGNA products also make use of robotic technologies to ensure high quality and robust solutions.

Vandersanden brick slips are glued to a weather-resistant Rockpanel ready to be installed in a building project. By working closely with architects and clients alike, Vandersanden is able to create a vast range of possibilities when it comes to brick patterns.

“The only limit to what we can do with SIGNA is the imagination of the designer,” Bart highlights.

“Before, we would only produce small panels, 1x1.5m, but we have

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recently completed a project that required us to produce much larger, wall height panels for a six-storey building project in Antwerp. This meant that we could clad the building with bricks in two days and has opened up the opportunity to develop a larger prefabricated market – it’s all about finding out what our customers need and developing our innovations to match.”

Demonstrating this commitment to innovation but also to the high quality standards that have afforded Vandersanden with its reputation, this strategic move for SIGNA has prompted further investment into its facilities.

With the need to make much larger panels than before, it is now critical that the company can maintain a high degree of control over its gluing process. “If we are going to be cladding tall buildings safely, we need to be absolutely sure that a brick will not fall off and therefore we have invested heavily into making sure we have the right level of control over the gluing process and the right quality control measures in place to produce these results consistently,” says Bart. “As such, more robotic lines have been installed, as these are the only way we can ensure the levels of control and precision required.”

which allowed the walls and floors to seamlessly blend together.

Continuing this commitment to customers will undeniably remain core to Vandersanden’s business as it moves forward. Bart highlights a continued effort to talk to customers to understand their needs and tailor its service

accordingly, and the company invests heavily into its own people to ensure this service is uniform across the group. “The future will also be about diversifying even further when it comes to innovation,” he says. “As a family owned business we do not have an aggressive growth strategy driving us. As long as we can create a sustainable and profitable business in the long-term, performing well for our clients and staying ahead of the market with new products and developments is our top priority.”

Vandersanden Group www.vandersandengroup.com Services: Manufactures a wide range of brick products

With such a broad range of products and solutions in place across the business, and with such an exemplary commitment to its customers and users, Vandersanden Group can bring to market a complete package.

It recently supplied facing bricks and pavers to the new Shakespearean Theatre in Gdansk, Poland, for example, which in April 2016 was awarded the prestigious Architzer A+ jury prize in the hall/ theatre category. Set amongst a town predominantly made up of red brick, the theatre’s strikingly clean black appearance was made possible thanks to Vandersanden’s high degree of colour consistency,

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profile: Arab Engineering Bureau

Global quality, local

know-how As a leader in the Qatari market, Arab Engineering Bureau is bringing international expertise to a region of high growth and economic activity

A

rab Engineering Bureau (AEB) was first established in 1966 as the first architectural firm to receive a license to practice in Qatar, but it wasn’t until Group CEO Ibrahim Jaidah took over in 1991 that the company became the leader it is today.

From only six employees at the time, Ibrahim has grown the company into a leading player with over 600 people and six branches across the world in Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines.

“Today we are a fully disciplined company, with architecture at our heart supported by all related engineering services and project management,” Ibrahim explains.

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Below Ibrahim Jaidah, Group CEO Arab Engineering Bureau

“Essentially, we manage the whole cycle to deliver a building.”

With nearly 300 people managing projects out on site, AEB on average hands over the keys to a completed project every two weeks. It’s a strong position to be in and over its history the business has completed in excess of 1500 projects in Qatar alone.

Such a portfolio includes major commercial, retail, governmental, residential, hospitality and educational facilities.

Qatar at present, much the same as many Persian Gulf states, is being defined by economic growth and investment into major infrastructure projects. A quick glance over the country’s current activities includes the build of a nationwide rail network, including

a complete metro system in Doha and the development of an entire town in Lusail, just north of the capital. This all means that market conditions are generally strong, with lots of work in the pipeline.

However, Ibrahim is keenly aware of the challenges low oil prices can have on the region and highlights AEB’s cautiousness as it continues to operate. “There was a bit of a panic when the oil prices slipped,” he notes. “Generally, analysis suggests that Qatar is the least hit by this because the income per capita is quite high.

Furthermore, we haven’t seen much of a slowdown in work, we are still winning projects and there are lots in the pipeline. We also have the advantage of being a diversified and international

company, so whilst we remain cautious that things may change, we are confident at the moment.”

With the international expertise and efficiencies afforded to AEB by its six global branches combined with the unrivalled local know-how it has gained as a leader in Qatar, AEB currently has a very strong portfolio of work.

Numerous government buildings, major commercial sites and largescale hospitality projects, such as the immense Doha Festival City, all appear. More recently, the firm was awarded a prestigious project to design the eighth proposed stadium for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. “The competition for this 60,000 seat stadium was put out to the international market, so to fulfil all the requirements and win was very important for us,” Ibrahim explains. “The fifth precinct stadium will be located in Al Thumama and the design is progressing very well. Not only is the scale of such a project fantastic in securing work in slightly concerning times, but it is also very exciting to be involved in one Qatar’s most important events.”

Other significant ongoing projects include the vast

Place Vendôme, a mixed-use development designed to house two-five star hotels, serviced apartments and up to 400 different retail outlets in Lusail,

and Qatar’s first 307-room Holiday Inn. Attesting to the strength of AEB within Qatar and across the world are a number of high

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profile: Arab Engineering Bureau

profile awards. Amongst these is a string of Construction Week Qatar Architecture Firm of the Year awards in 2012, 2014 and most recently in 2015. Last year it was also awarded Engineering Firm of the Year by Construction Innovation Awards Qatar. “We don’t do a huge amount of marketing,” expresses Ibrahim.

“Much of our publicity comes from the major projects that we complete and to be recognised for these by such awards is great to inject some energy into the team and to motivate them to continue being the best.”

As far as the future is concerned for the company, Ibrahim remains positive. “There is no doubt that the market is somewhat uncertain, and the challenge is to retain a sustainable business strategy despite this,” he says. “However,

the market is strong; we have been winning major projects and there are more in the pipeline. It is also important for us to become more efficient at operating within today’s market and this is where the support of our international offices is felt – we can employ the skills of other branches to cope with challenges and rising demand without having to over-employ in Qatar. This diversity really helps the business to continue thriving whilst controlling costs.”

The next 12 months will centre predominantly on securing more jobs and continuing to deliver on those currently being undertaken, with AEB putting particular focus on major rail and hospitality projects that are taking place in the market. In the longer term, expansion will be the buzzword

Huda Lighting Huda Lighting was established back in the year 2000 as a light fitting supplier in Beirut, Lebanon. Within a short time it had positioned itself as a major player in that market, signing contracts for some projects that remain till today as some of its prestigious references.

Sixteen years later, Huda Lighting had grown to seven branches across the Middle East, with a grand showroom in Dubai, and a staff count of over 130 lighting specialists, becoming a major player in the lighting industry on a regional level, hence achieving the goal it set when it first started out.

With a brand portfolio made up of some of the world’s leading lighting manufacturers, accompanied with professional service and support from its staff, Huda Lighting assures that its clients get the best that is available in the market.

Huda Lighting continues its strive towards its vision “To Be The Lighting Supplier Of Choice In The Region” by growing its operations to cover more essential territories, while expanding and diversifying its products and services, to make sure all its clients requirements are covered.

with a seventh office opening in Dubai by the end of 2016 and a project scope broadening to new markets in Saudi Arabia and North Africa to facilitate further growth. “Ultimately, thanks to various awards and major project

wins we are in the spotlight as a leader in Qatar,” adds Ibrahim on a concluding note. “To stay here we have to keep working hard in order to maintain our reputation and this will be our defining message as we move forward.”

Arab Engineering Bureau www.aeb-qatar.com Services: Award-winning multidisciplinary architectural design consultancy 37

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profile: FP McCann

Solid

support

Founded during April 1797, FP McCann Ltd. today represents the UK’s largest precast concrete company that is able to design and produce a comprehensive range of concrete products

D

uring its 37-year history FP McCann Ltd has evolved into a market leader in the manufacture, supply and delivery of precast concrete solutions. The company has managed projects through conception to completion and final handover by providing facilities and general management throughout the build programme.

By utilising its comprehensive network of quarries, surfacing, readymix and precast plants, FP McCann supplies a wide range of heavy building materials to the construction industry. This enables the business to offer a range

of sustainable and innovative bespoke product solutions that complement its standard package of products and services.

Over close to four decades of industry experience, FP McCann has delivered bespoke solutions for a multitude of drainage and water management solutions and infrastructure projects, including tunnels and shafts, rail, power and infrastructure, walling, fencing, agricultural, modular buildings, flooring and specialist precast products. Throughout all of its operations, the company is able to customise its solutions to ensure that they create maximum value for the client’s project, accommodating the relevant site conditions, design requirements and construction needs. FP McCann also maintains a strong presence within the civil engineering sector and has secured a prestigious portfolio of award-winning construction work within Northern Ireland that have included projects in the public sector areas of health, education, water and transport infrastructure, and private industrial and commercial developments.

The company maintains several modern manufacturing plants located across the UK

in Alnwick (Northumberland), Byley (Cheshire), Cadeby (Warkwickshire), Drakelow (Staffordshire), Ellistown (Leicestershire), Grantham (Lincolnshire), Knockloughrim (Northern Ireland), Lisnaskea (Northern Ireland), Littleport (Cambridgeshire), Lydney (Gloucestershire), Telford (Shropshire) and Weston Underwood (Derbyshire). These facilities incorporate the latest digital batching, distribution, casting, curing and handling systems and are operated by skilled and experienced workforces to ensure the consistency of quality. The geographical locations of its manufacturing bases allows FP McCann to exercise an unrivalled ability to serve the needs of the construction industry throughout the UK and Ireland.

This ability to deliver to clients wherever they are located exemplifies the company’s ability to meet its customers’ needs.

Indeed, its product range has never been more diverse, more competitive, or more in-tune with its clients’ needs than it is today and the quality and reliability of FP McCann’s products and services are the foundation of the success

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40

profile: FP McCann

of the business. FP McCann carries a wide range of accreditations that include UVDB Achilles, Linkup Achilles, an environmental management system according to ISO 14001 and a fully implemented quality assurance scheme in line with ISO 9001.

Its proven operational experience and high levels of industry certification has enabled FP McCann to execute several high-profile and technical demanding projects throughout its history. For example, the company continues to play an important part in the development of the £200 million tunnelled cable network for London, which was awarded by the National Grid to the highly regarded construction companies Costain and Skanska. The network is intended help meet the demand for increased energy flows across the city and support this growth in electricity demand, including the new Crossrail scheme and the replacement of existing buried cables throughout the capital.

The construction of the cable tunnels is all part of a wider upgrade scheme that was designed to allow National Grid engineers to inspect and maintain the electricity network in safe operating conditions. The scope of work includes 33km of tunnelling constructed below London and a 19.9km tunnel will be built between Willesden and Hackney.

Additionally, a 12.1km tunnel will be built between Kensal Green

S4J Ltd We are proud to be an approved installer for the UK’s largest precast concrete product manufacturer. Over a 20 year period we have installed 97 per cent of their Crosswall [Room Solutions] from their Grantham factory. We are now particularly pleased to be contributing to the developing design and methodology of installation for their exciting new innovation Stormstore and we continue to install all of their proven sewage treatment tank systems.

Tyler Bros Ltd Tyler Bros work closely with the technical and production team at FP McCann to develop methods of production that ensure that the exacting standards of the ‘British Tunnelling Society, Specification for tunnelling, Third edition’ are precisely met with each and every tunnel segment that is produced.

and Wimbledon, with each tunnel being built between 20 and 60 metres below ground at around three to four metres in diameter.

Large tunnel boring machines (TBM’s) were deployed to undertake the drives primarily through London clay and the tunnels were then lined with precast concrete segments.

Skanska, the project’s principle tunnelling contractor, was also responsible for building the access shafts for workers and all ventilation equipment works. FP McCann was awarded the initial contract to supply 15m / 12.5m / 10.5m precast concrete segmental smoothbore linings to Costain at various locations along the route of the new scheme with deliveries commencing in Summer 2011.

In order to minimise potential disruption to the city’s electricity supply, the new cable tunnels are constructed alongside the existing tunnels so that residents and businesses should experience no interruption while the tunnelling work is ongoing below the city.

While tunnelling was ultimately completed by March 2015, the rest of the works will not be completed until 2018.

To ensure that the company is continually able to deliver the most effective and bespoke solutions to its clients, FP McCann operates a strong culture of research and development to further develop new products and practices. Being at the forefront of the precast industry in the United

Kingdom, the company feels that its role is to constantly develop innovative solutions that solve engineering and architectural problems, reduce labour and material costs and also help to sustain the environment. With a proactive approach to educating stakeholders associated with pipe jacking, tunnels, flooring and building to name a few, it helps to grow the precast concrete market and make precast concrete the solution for the future.

One of the latest developments for FP McCann has been the development of its new precast storm and wastewater management system ‘StormStore’. This system was developed to suit a wide range of construction projects and drainage schemes in response to recent studies that show how the UK is becoming increasingly affected by global warming with Atlantic storms causing widespread flooding. This occurs with drainage systems not being able to cope with the increasing amount of rainfall resulting in water being discharged at large rates. The FP McCann WRc approved 100-year design life StormStore system has been designed to combat this and can be customised to suit all requirements and can be used for several solutions including detention, retention, infiltration, harvesting and the treatment of water. The continued development of systems like StormStore enables FP McCann to remain as the first-port-of-call for water drainage applications and with several and high-profile projects already underway, the company is set to endure as a rock solid solution provider for years to come.

FP McCann www.fpmccann.co.uk Services: Precast concrete products 41

profile: qatar rail

A vast

undertaking

Qatar Rail is making significant progress into developing the country’s rail network that will be critical to Qatar’s future vision of economic growth

I

n 2008, under the light of continuous and rapid economic and social development in Qatar, the country’s Emir launched the Qatar National Vision 2030, a scheme to manage and implement this development in the most productive way possible. One significant part of this development framework is the Qatar Rail Development Programme (QRDP), a vast project managed by the newly formed Qatar Rail to deliver a complete rail network to support

42

Above Al Waab underground station of the Gold Line

the growing population and economic activity in and around the country’s capital, Doha.

“Our vision is to create the favourite mode of transport for everybody and to provide an integrated railway together with a public network of bus systems,” begins Senior Programme Director at Qatar Rail, Dr-Ing Markus Demmler. “We want to make it attractive and sustainable, both in terms of economic and ecological impacts, and to make sure it is of the highest quality whilst remaining economically viable.

Ultimately, it will run parallel to achieving Qatar’s overall vision to reduce emissions, as most of the country is run on cars at present, to ease congestion and improve travel times both into and within the city.”

An overview of the planned network for the development project serves to display the sheer scale of Qatar Rail’s undertaking.

The programme is split into three separate projects, the Doha Metro, a Long Distance network and a light rail network in the up-andcoming city of Lusail. The long distance network is designed for both high-tech passenger and freight services across five lines and 502 km of railway connecting population centres with major industrial hubs and forming critical connections with neighbouring countries. The lines include: a mixed passenger and freight line from Doha to Saudi Arabia; a high-speed passenger line from Doha to Bahrain, capable of speeds up to 270km/h; a freight line from Mesaieed Port to Ras

Laffan; plus two mixed lines from Doha to Dukhan, and Doha to Al Shamal. By 2021, 8000 passenger trips are expected to travel on the network every day, with this rising to 24,000 by 2031.

To facilitate the developing city of Lusail, a light rail, tram-based network is being developed across four lines and 37 stations, two of which will link to the Doha Metro network. In a city that is predicted to house up to 450,000 residents in the near future, the Lusail network has been designed for a capacity of 50,000 passenger trips a day by 2021 and 120,000 a decade later. With an average speed of 29km/h, the lines will take an average of one to two minutes between adjacent stations.

The Doha Metro project, a strategically planned underground

network to serve the expanding city of Doha, is undeniably the most complex of the three. As part of phase one, planned to be completed and operational by the end of 2019, 37 stations will connect nearly 86km of track spread across three separate lines. The Red Line, which will also be known as the Coast Line, is planned to run for 41 kilometres from Al Wakra in the south to Lusail in the north and will stop at 18 stations along the way. The Red Line will connect Hamad International Airport to the city centre and it is estimated that a trip from the airport to Lusail will be 36 minutes compared to current peak times of an hour and half. Other notable stops will include West Bay, Katara and Qatar University. At its deepest, the Red Line’s tunnels will operate as far as approximately 46 metres beneath Doha’s surface.

Connecting Al Riffa in the East to Al Mansoura in the West and passing through Education City, the Green Line will stop at 11 stations along its length of 22 kilometres. Significant stops for the Green Line, or the Education Line as it is also known, will be the Hamad Hospital, Al Shaqab and the currently in development, Qatar National Library. Extending 14km from Ras Bu Aboud in the west and Al Aziziya in the west will be the Gold Line, or Historic Line. Stopping at 11 separate locations, the Gold Line will be a

crucial link for the Qatar National Museum, Souq Waqif, Al Waab and Sports City – a key hub for the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Due to be completed by 2020, ahead of the 22nd FIFA World Cup, the Doha Metro Phase One network is being achieved through eight separate projects.

Three of these projects relate to 17km of elevated and at grade (EAG) routes, plus six stations, all of which will be above ground and highly visible. These are the Red Line North (RLN) – six kilometres of track and two stations, to be completed by December 2018; Red Line South (RLS) – six kilometres and three stations, to be completed by autumn 2016; and Green Line (GRN) – another six kilometres and just one station to be completed by December 2018.

Phase two will see the metro expanding with additional line extensions and a brand new line according to the city’s growth, the total number of stations will be increased by over 64 across more than 200 kilometres of track.

Upon completion by 2021, the entire metro system aims to take 17,000 cars off the road, having a significant impact on the city’s carbon footprint.

“In terms of timescales, we released the first civil design and build contracts for the Metro scheme in 2013,” explains Markus. “Work, including MEP and architectural fit out, will

43

profile: qatar rail

be completed by 2018. The railway systems contract, which is separate, is due to finish in 2019 with the aim to be fully operational by 2020, if not the end of 2019. So far, we are 36 per cent towards overall completion (as of March 2016) and have already achieved 85 per cent of the tunnelling work, for which we have employed a record-breaking 21 simultaneously operating TBMs. Significantly, we have only dropped behind schedule by 2.3 per cent.”

As a young and burgeoning company taking on a project of such scale, Qatar Rail has faced a number of challenges, particularly in the development of the Doha Metro network, but has been able to overcome many through significant strategic decisions and management processes.

“When it came to our contractor strategy we decided it would be more beneficial to allocate many of the risks to contractors because they have the knowledge and experience,” highlights Markus. “This is what we have done through the awarding of design and build contracts, eight of which are civil with one overarching systems contract.”

However, here arises the challenge of successfully managing a number of contracts in parallel to each other. As such, Qatar Rail has set up both a delivery division, to oversee the project management of all contracts with support from consultants, and a technical division, which ensures that significant design decisions regarding certain aspects that needed to be implemented across all lines are made in harmony with one another.

Due to time pressures put upon the scheme the QRDP and Qatar Rail have achieved a number of unique milestones in the way it operates in Qatar. First of all is its contract strategy, as Markus explains: “The usual way in the Middle East is to take a design-

44

bid-build approach. However, because of the time constraints a design and build contract was decided upon to be more viable.

Because of its irregularity in the region there was a certain amount of concern about this approach initially, but it has saved us a lot of time and because of its proven success in the QRDP other authorities are now taking this approach as well.”

Another significant aspect of the programme, which highlights both the scale and success of Qatar Rail’s management, is its health and safety record. Markus points out that the project has a target of a 0.1 per cent AFR (accident frequency rate), but is currently operating at 0.06 per cent. “Overall, we have over 112 million man-hours worked on the project so far, so this is outstanding,” he says. “To achieve this we are constantly running extensive training centres with our contracting partners, so that every person who comes through a contractor is fully trained in line with our zero harm policy before going onto site. This focus on wellbeing is continued in the general facilities, such as accommodation, as a lot of the labour is coming from abroad.”

Successful progress defines the Qatar Rail project so far in terms of operation, management

and safety, and this is set to continue throughout its course.

“By the beginning of 2017 all TBM work will be completed, with the Red Line North and Green Line tunnelling work just finished at the end of March 2016,” explains Markus, looking ahead at the coming 12 months. “Before the second half of the year all MEP and architectural contracts will have been awarded, and we have just had approval from his Highness the Emir for all mock-up architectural finishes, so we will be ready to begin fit-out works this year. The ultimate goal is to finish all civil structures, and this means that underground stations will be around 85 per cent complete and ready for the systems contractors to begin work on track installation and technical systems.

“Of course, with more subcontractors moving in manpower will be increasing to around 35,000 across the metro project, which brings its own challenges, so as the project changes in nature, so too do its challenges. Looking further ahead we are already preparing for phase two of the programme. Although this hasn’t been confirmed as yet, we think it would be wise to continue directly on from phase one as we have all the machinery, equipment and labour on site.”

Focus on: Major Stations Phase one of the Doha Metro programme, which is due to be completed and operational by the end of 2019, will feature 37 stations connected by nearly 86km of track across the Red, Green and Gold Lines. The 41km Red Line, or Coast Line as it will also be known, will stop at 18 stations on its way from Al Wakra to Lusail, and connect Hamad International Airport to the city centre. Notable stops will include West Bay, Katara and Qatar University. In 2013, the contract for the Red Line North section of the programme, which includes the build of seven stations, was awarded to a consortium led by Italian construction firm Impregilo and comprises of South Korea’s SK Engineering and Construction and Qatar’s Galfar al-Misnad Engineering and Contracting.

The Green, or Education, Line will run 22km between Al Riffa and Al Mansoura, stopping at 11 stations including ones at the Hamad Hospital, Al Shaqab and the Qatar National Library. Finally, the Gold Line will comprise of 11 stations as it links Ras Bu Aboud to Al Aziziya over 14km of track. The Historic Line, as it will otherwise be known, will add the Qatar National Museum, Souq Waqif and Al Waab to the Doha network, as well as providing

a critical link to Sports City –a major hub for the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Due to be expanding with additional line extensions and brand new lines in phase two according to the city’s growth,

the total number of stations will eventually increase by around a further 64 as more than 200km track is brought into operation.

When completed, all lines will intersect at the central Msheireb station, the largest in the city, which will also serve as an iconic landmark designed to help locals and tourists orientate around the area. A strong visual connection between the entrance and concourse will also enable a smooth passenger experience and clear direction throughout the station. In 2013, a consortium of Spanish firm Obrascon Huarte Lain (OHL), Samsung C&T and the Qatar Building Company, was awarded a 1.1 billion euro contract to build Msheireb, as well as the Education City station – both major interchange hubs.

Station design is a key factor for the entire Doha network and an architectural branding scheme has been established to ensure continuity of local flavours and personality throughout the metro system. All stations, which will eventually exceed 100 in number, will adhere to a contemporary ‘vaulted space’ concept, reflecting the heritage of the region’s traditional Bedouin tents. Functionality has also been designed into the aesthetic value of ornamental panels, which will form the backbone of a dynamic lighting and ventilation system. Through the use of traditional elements of Islamic and local art, each station will be a unique tribute to Qatari heritage with dhow-inspired exteriors and a ‘pearl-effect’ aesthetic on the inside.

Left Aerial view of the Msheireb underground station

Qatar Rail www.qr.co.qa Services: Delivering Qatar’s rail network 45

GORD - GSAS

GSAS Railways GSAS Railways, The first-of-a-kind sustainability assessment scheme created for railway projects

G

ORD, The Gulf Organisation for Research and Development was founded in 2009. It is a member of Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company and a non-profit governmental organization established at Qatar Science and Technology Park to promote healthy, energy and resource efficient, and environmentally responsible building practices in Qatar and the Gulf.

GORD, joins the global effort to meet the present needs without compromising the rights of the future generations. It is committed to contribute to the sustainable development of the MENA region by promoting sustainability best practices through the development of its flagship Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS).

GORD has three main centers of excellence namely;

GORD Institute, GSAS Trust, GORD Academy GORD also addresses a wide range of environmental and sustainability issues through its affiliated centers of excellence Qatar Carbon Trust (QCT) is dedicated to facilitate the climate actions and carbon management in Qatar and the region for a greener, cleaner and safer world.

Gulf Green Mark (GGM) is the first Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) System in the GCC and MENA region. It is to declare environmental footprints of products and materials used in the construction industry during their life cycle.

www.gord.qa

GSAS, GORD has developed GSAS through several years of intense collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania, and School of Architecture at the Georgia Institute of Technology, USA and other reputed houses of expertise. GSAS is the Middle East’s first integrated and performance-based sustainable buildings rating system to address, in particular, the challenges presented by the region’s climate. It started in 2007 from the comprehensive review of the existing 140+ building rating systems, tools, and guidelines around the globe and narrowed down to the 40 whole building rating systems.

There are three Types of GSAS certifications: Design & Build Certification, Construction Management Certification and Operations Certification. GSAS evaluates projects based on; Urban Connectivity, Site, Energy, Water, Materials, indoor Environment, Cultural & Economical Value and Management & operations. GSAS has six levels of Star rating (range) from 1 Star to 6 Stars.

GSAS has various schemes which can be used to assess the sustainability of the built environment.

They include GSAS Districts & Infrastructure, GSAS Commercial, GSAS Core & Shell, GSAS Mosques, GSAS Neighborhood, GSAS Parks, GSAS Residential, GSAS School, GSAS Hotels, GSAS Light Industry, GSAS Sports, GSAS Railways, GSAS Healthcare, GSAS Worker’s Accommodation, GSAS Existing Building, GSAS Construction Management and GSAS Operations.

Categories: Energy (E)

24%

Water (W)

16%

Indoor Environment (IE)

16%

Cultural & Economic (CE)

13%

Site (S)

9%

Urban Connectivity (UC)

8%

Materials (M)

8%

Management & Operations (MO)

6%

GORD - GSAS GSAS Railways Scheme, Railway is a cornerstone of any economic growth. It improves social and economic opportunities and plays a vital role in urban connectivity.

Railway also supports greener environment by reducing the highway congestion and CO2 emissions. Qatar Rail is leading one of the largest rail projects in the region to meet the demands of Qatar’s dynamic and growing population.

The broad goals of the Qatar Rail Development Program are to deliver a world class, environmentally friendly, safe and reliable rail network for Qatar, and support the “Qatar 2030 Vision” for achieving the highest economic, social and environmental development standards for the Qatar community through a sustainable urban development plan.

Qatar Rail aims to have the project designed, constructed and operated to achieve a 4 Star GSAS Certification.

GSAS Railways, This first-of-a-kind assessment scheme in the world is used for rating the sustainability and ecological impacts of new main station buildings including spaces that serve various functions of a railway station such as, but not necessarily limited to, platform/

concourse, offices, station control room, ticketing, retail, food/beverage areas, and ancillary areas. The scheme involves various stages of design construction and operations performance assessments and audits to attain the certification.

Construction industry professionals must complete formal GSAS training, take exams and be engaged in continuous professional development (CPDs) programs. This would enable them to implement GSAS sustainability best practices on different projects in the built environment.

QRAIL Stations - GSAS 4 STAR Rating The GSAS 4 Stars target was set by Qatar Rail for all new stations and this requirement was cascaded down to individual Contractors. The 4 Star requirement is therefore relatively flexible and it allows Contractors to make their own decisions on the preferred route. As part of the GORD roles, it assisted Contractors to establish a robust 4 stars delivery plans and it also provided regular technical design review sessions to ensure that the plans are implemented.

The 4 stars approach taken by Contractors varies from one contract to another however some shared themes are evident as outlined below.

Urban Connectivity & Site Considerations Strategies include: • Enhancing transportation system by providing dedicated taxi pick/drop off points, additional bus stops, space planning for future shuttle bus service etc • Providing additional public amenities without the stations • Ensuring that both general and disabled accessibility is improved in and out of the station and providing adequate pedestrian signage and pathway finding • Preservation of land, water bodies and habitat falling with station boundaries (and enhancing its value where reasonably possible) • Specification of light colours for superstructure finishes to minimising the heat island effect Energy Strategies include: • Minimisation of the Station envelope thermal conductivity and Improvement to the superstructure element by optimisation of U values and solar transmittance of glazing.

• Use of energy efficient LED lighting and advanced lighting controls system to ensure maximum energy efficiency and users visual comfort • Sizing of mechanical ventilation system which closely follows relevant standards for maintain adequate level of CO2 and ensure minimum energy wastage and maximum thermal comfort.

• Specification of Heat Recovery units (where feasible/cost effective) • Specification of energy efficient cooling plant or systems Water Strategies include: • Specification of efficient plumbing fixture including sensor controlled and percussion taps, aerators and dual flush toilets • Specification of efficient (drip-type) irrigation system and use of native plants with less water demand Materials Strategies include: • Emphasis on procuring materials locally (whenever possible) • Use of materials with recycled content Indoor Environment Strategies include: • Design to deliver thermal required thermal comfort in terms of temperature and relative humidity based on internationally accepted standards • Mechanical ventilation fresh air rates and illumination levels to follow relevant international standards • Improved indoor acoustic quality for users comfort • Avoidance and controlled use of materials with VOC content • Potential contaminant sources within the Stations to be controlled by the use of physical separating and controlled ventilation system Management and Operations Main priorities under this category are generally as follows: • Provision of organic and recyclable waste management • Provision energy and water submeters • Provision of adequate building management system to ensure proper operation of systems and equipment • Specification of energy efficient vertical transportation system

www.gord.qa

profile: Colemore Tang Construction

up

Building For Birmingham based construction firm Colemore Tang, continued evolution is key to achieving success in a highly competitive industry

W

ith no legacy projects hanging over from the economic recession Colemore Tang Construction (CTC), which was born in February 2014, has undertaken a journey of significant evolution over its first two years of doing business. Established to serve the contracting needs of Birmingham property developer Seven Capital’s (SC) 253-bed, four-star Park Regis hotel at the

48

right value, CTC’s ability to deliver major refurbishment work to the right standards but at highly competitive prices meant that it secured a significant framework to deliver all SC’s refurbishment and new build residential project for the following five years. This represents a pipeline of around 1000 units per year on SC development sites.

When Construction & Civil Engineering last featured the company back in July 2015, MD Andy Robinson highlighted four

major projects that effectively kicked off the company’s success. The first being the Park Regis hotel, which was closely followed by One Hagley Road, a 22-storey, 270apartment conversion project in Birmingham. The year also saw work commence on a 313unit, part-conversion, part-new build project in Digbeth, and the Kettleworks and St George Urban Village scheme in the city’s Jewellery Quarter, which includes the refurbishment of an

Indeed, as CTC entered 2016 the company experienced a notable flourish of activity topping out four projects in just one day. Such ability is testament to the deeply ingrained knowledge and expertise held within the relatively young company by a tight-knit team of highly experienced individuals from a wide range of operational, development and contracting backgrounds. “The business is always working hard to maintain its ‘fast-track’ reputation for delivering high quality on time and on budget,” explains Andy.

“We have developed a strong image within the industry for a no-nonsense, practical approach, which is heavily client focused and allows the client to have complete trust in what we are doing and how we are delivering it. Our

long-standing experience within the operational and development sectors culminates in being able to demonstrate a mindset of developer first and contractor second, and means that as a team we are able to approach a range of detailed matters in the right way.”

At present, CTC is working on numerous projects that perfectly demonstrate the broadening scope of delivery expertise held within the business. Many of these are centred in Birmingham, however 96 units in Liverpool, 230 units (plus retail space) in Basingstoke and a 200,000 square foot distribution centre in Northampton also feature on its portfolio of ongoing works.

“Clearly our residential pedigree is second to none, especially when it comes to our conversion

historical building into 313 units, plus a new build 320-unit village.

“The ten months since have been hectic to say the least,” Andy comments, looking back at only the business’s second operational year. “We have continued with these four large projects and this has resulted in us completing and handing over 600 apartments as well as the four-star hotel. We have also added a further six projects, which we are now on site with, contributing a further 1000 units to our portfolio.”

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profile: Colemore Tang Construction

skills,” Andy highlights. “However, it is the Park Regis hotel with the roof-level Rofuto restaurant – a fantastic Japanese-fusion venue and Sake bar – that we are particularly proud of. We were involved in all aspects from the technical conversion work right

50

down to the interior design and branding of the finished product.”

Keen to continue the excellent work that has defined CTC’s short history, the company is currently undergoing a strong recruitment drive, bringing eight additional key people on board

over the last 12 months. “However, we are still facing the challenge of a labour shortage within the industry,” explains Andy. “We are doing what we can with South Birmingham College and other educational establishments to help provide placements and

permanent work opportunities on our projects for local labour.

It is still a struggle though. The discussion regarding off-site manufacture is advancing quickly because of these labour issues and I feel sure they will continue to become more critical to the necessary efficiencies that we need to bring into our processes.”

Andy himself demonstrates this commitment to future skills and talent even further, recently being invited onto the board of Dudley Education College for the development of a new

Construction Training Facility. “It’s a real privilege to assist the board on the new Advance II building,”

he expresses. “This is being built now to house 400 students who will be able to concentrate on new technologies in the construction industries – something that is very close to my heart. I am really looking forward to lending assistance and ensuring that the courses are focused on delivering practical and relevant skills for the industry.”

As far as the future of CTC is concerned, the company will continue bringing new talent on board as well as developing

its offering to the market. Andy highlights that finding new large existing vacant office buildings to redevelop in the right locations is becoming more and more difficult, so over the course of 2016 the market will see CTC making further inroads into new build projects.

“Ultimately, it’s all about ensuring we deliver what we say we will deliver to our clients, whilst at the same time continuing to hone our skills and stay ahead of the game, adding value to their businesses wherever we can,” he says. “We will also be looking to expand our capabilities to a wider client base, so more commercial projects, such as the upcoming distribution centre, will start to feature more and more alongside our great work in the residential sector.”

Colemore Tang Construction www.colemoretang.com Services: Leading construction company based in Birmingham specialising in refurbishment and new-build projects 51

Editor Libbie Hammond libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Sales Team

+44 (0) 1603 274130 Schofield Publishing 10 Cringleford Business Centre Intwood Road Cringleford Norwich NR4 6AU

www.ccemagazine.com